A buddy has seen much of the plan and said the entirety of Galway is less urban than Mount Pearl, and in some ways only slightly better than Paradise (i.e. it has sidewalks). Lots of huge, paved cul-de-sacs, etc.

There's nothing new or good about any of it. We were misled. We'd be better off not doing it and passing a law that no new development is permitted outside Columbus Drive for 100 years.

Salt the fields so naught may grow again. Erect a Danny Williams statue with the text of Ozymandias etched into it as a lesson to travelers.

I was just in St. John's for a few days, and noticed that on the highway, the sign(s?) still refers to it as "Glencrest". So, are both names to be used? The proposed urban form, or lack of it, is disappointing, but after all, it is still a suburban development, given its location.

I was just in St. John's for a few days, and noticed that on the highway, the sign(s?) still refers to it as "Glencrest". So, are both names to be used? The proposed urban form, or lack of it, is disappointing, but after all, it is still a suburban development, given its location.

A buddy has seen much of the plan and said the entirety of Galway is less urban than Mount Pearl, and in some ways only slightly better than Paradise (i.e. it has sidewalks). Lots of huge, paved cul-de-sacs, etc.

There's nothing new or good about any of it. We were misled. We'd be better off not doing it and passing a law that no new development is permitted outside Columbus Drive for 100 years.

I think you folk have mislead yourselves.

With oil down the threshold has passed.

Newfoundland's population is bound to decline at this point, its hard to imagine anything better than what is.

Oil is set to be at a low as the demographic burden of the boomers is about to peak.

It's better to hope the province ages gracefully and our rural areas decline faster than were expected. It might lesson the burden of an entire province retiring all at once.

While the province's population may be declining I doubt you'll see the same thing happen in St. John's, though growth will likely slow down.

I doubt it will start contracting yet, but I bet good money it will have clearly declined by 2030, in decline by 2025, and peaking before 2020.

We've been mislead to think were somehow a low tax rate province, I suspect will be at the top of the list in just a few years. High taxes with low service levels will likely make us far less popular.

You have to keep in mind Canada immigration rate is likely at a peak, and it's only a few years until the growth stalls, and for areas that are not the top 6 major cities, you will see a direct decline.

Why would anyone want to live in Galway? I’m not saying that to be negative, I’m just throwing it out as a question I hope the developer (Danny et al) have asked. How will it differentiate itself from neighboring Southlands or the many “mini” subdivisions of Paradise, CBS or Torbay etc.
Where are the Galway residents going to come from? Other parts of the NE Avalon or other parts of the province? Yes, the NE Avalon is growing in tiny increments but that growth is all over the place, a few new houses here, a few there and few more over there. For a community like Galway to gain traction it is going to have to be at the expense of other areas, ie: Paradise, Kenmount Park etc.
The concept for Galway is that it will be a self contained community with commercial components, schools, churches, offices, hotels? We know that the industrial “big box” part, Glencrest, is going to be the starting point but what will be next and how long will it be before we see any of it. It might not be a case of “build it and they will come”.

I doubt it will start contracting yet, but I bet good money it will have clearly declined by 2030, in decline by 2025, and peaking before 2020.

We've been mislead to think were somehow a low tax rate province, I suspect will be at the top of the list in just a few years. High taxes with low service levels will likely make us far less popular.

You have to keep in mind Canada immigration rate is likely at a peak, and it's only a few years until the growth stalls, and for areas that are not the top 6 major cities, you will see a direct decline.

A big problem for us is our high services and spread out population. Hopefully some of that will be curbed with the de-population of rural Newfoundland.

Been hearing rumours from various city officials that are setting up the water mains infrastructure fir the retail section of the Galway development, that it's now gonna be an enclosed shopping mall rather than a big box park, that will be larger than the Avalon Mall when completed. Anyone have any more info on this? Plaza Corps are one of the partners.

Been hearing rumours from various city officials that are setting up the water mains infrastructure fir the retail section of the Galway development, that it's now gonna be an enclosed shopping mall rather than a big box park, that will be larger than the Avalon Mall when completed. Anyone have any more info on this? Plaza Corps are one of the partners.

I sure hope so. I hope they realized that most people hate big box style developments.

Been hearing rumours from various city officials that are setting up the water mains infrastructure fir the retail section of the Galway development, that it's now gonna be an enclosed shopping mall rather than a big box park, that will be larger than the Avalon Mall when completed. Anyone have any more info on this? Plaza Corps are one of the partners.

Sounds like this si never gonna happen.

Serousily where are these people suppose to come from, immigrants don't like st johns full stop.

I really don't know how places like Galway are ever approved. The City is failing big time on maintaining the existing infrastructure they have in place, along with an archaic public transit system that can't keep up with the existing road network. Most of council and the local population scream and cry from the high heavens when anyone suggests placing higher density building in the city, yet approve this uncontrolled urban sprawl without bating an eye. Places like Galway in my opinion will be the ultimate demise of St. John's in the not so distant future, not "high rises" as most people here seem to think.

I really don't know how places like Galway are ever approved. The City is failing big time on maintaining the existing infrastructure they have in place, along with an archaic public transit system that can't keep up with the existing road network. Most of council and the local population scream and cry from the high heavens when anyone suggests placing higher density building in the city, yet approve this uncontrolled urban sprawl without bating an eye. Places like Galway in my opinion will be the ultimate demise of St. John's in the not so distant future, not "high rises" as most people here seem to think.

I think if oil doesn't rebound and there is an economic turn-down then naturally urban sprawl will slow down and stop and people will have to start choosing more cost effective living. I would not be surprised to see some population shift from the burbs back in towards St John's in the next decade and thus more high rises being built and public transit being used.

I think if oil doesn't rebound and there is an economic turn-down then naturally urban sprawl will slow down and stop and people will have to start choosing more cost effective living. I would not be surprised to see some population shift from the burbs back in towards St John's in the next decade and thus more high rises being built and public transit being used.

Yeah I kinda picture CBS turning back into an outport.

With alot of the cheaper housing areas around mount pearl paradise becoming an unemployment belt.

Way to many people here drive.

It's absolutely unsustainible.

You'd be amazed at how many 3 and 4 car households are in the burbs here.

Ha, I was wondering why I didn't know about this meeting. It was billed on the city's listserv as a rezoning of "725 Southlands Boulevard," not exactly conveying the size/importance of the decision.

Looking at the proposal, does anyone understand this?

Quote:

The Municipal Plan encourages compact urban form, while minimizing sprawl through the encouragement of large - scale integrated developments in all expansion areas. As the City continues to grow and expand, the creation of mixed use neighbourhoods provides more sustainable places for people to live and work. The proposal supports the current Municipal Plan policies, while advancing the goals and objectives of the City’s new draft Municipal Plan.
[...]
Ken O’Brien, MCIP
Chief Municipal Planner

How can a planner look at this development and say it's "compact" or "mixed use?" He must think St. John's is one compact city.